Longboard Era Surfboards

Balsa and Fiberglass Surfboards

Newly applied sciences developed during the Second World War had been all but unimaginable in times prior. Brilliant surfers Bob Simmons and his then unrealized protégé’s Joe Quigg and Matt Kivlin, among others, led the charge towards experimenting with new materials.
During the latter part of the 1940’S came the ingenious mating of glass fibers wetted out with either epoxy or polyester resins over balsa that forever changed surfboard building. Among the earliest departures from the heavy surfboards was a wood and foam sandwich board built by Simmons during the mid 40s. By decades end, Simmons’ ‘Spoons’ had become a popular choice on California beaches. Circa 1950, Joe Quigg further developed the lightweight fiberglass board with the help of his close friend Matt Kivlin. The boards were referred to as ‘Malibu Chips’.
In late 1949 or 50, Dale Velzy opened what many regard as the first contemporary fashioned surf shop in Manhattan Beach. Shortly thereafter, he opened shops in Hawaii and Malibu. In 1954 Velzy teamed up with fellow board-builder Hap Jacobs to create the Velzy-Jacobs label. Within 5 years they had shops in Venice Beach, San Clemente, San Diego, Newport Beach, Hermosa and Honolulu.
Hobie Alter began making surfboards in 1950, out of his father’s garage in Laguna Beach. He soon recognized an opportunity and opened a surf shop in Dana Point. Perhaps best known for his wave riding skills in huge surf, Greg Noll was also one of the earliest surfboard manufacturers, having commercially offered balsa in the mid 50s.
Others opened their own shops, including Gordon Duane’s Gordie Surfboards in 1956. Worth noting is Bob Shepherd, who learned the craft from Joe Quigg, and started making boards in Hawaii in 1959. Bob’s first boards had an ink stamp ‘Robert Shepherd – Sunset Beach (Hawaii)’. Soon after, he created the short lived label ‘Swimm Boats’.

Foam and Fiberglass Surfboards

It was Dave Sweet who first perfected the manufacturing process and introduced the urethane foam core surfboard in 1956- 1957 as a viable commercial offering. Hobie Alter (of Hobie Surfboards) and Gordon Clark (of Clark Foam) were not far behind Sweet and brought their version to market several of months later.
With the advent of polyurethane foam, surfboard building moved into a new epoch. Surfboard blanks could now be molded then sold to surfboard builders, and in volume! The growth in the popularity of surfing, especially so in the early 1960s, was staggering, and foam core surfboards were able to meet that demand.

Popout Surfboards

During this growth period of the sport, several brands of low cost surfboards entered the marketplace and were referred to in derogatory slang as “popouts”. Often capitalizing on well known or famous surfers, shapers and even a catchy place or name, some of the more well known popouts include Velzy, Keoki, Duke Kahanamoku, Malibu and Royal Hawaiian. These boards were most often purchased by beginner or less informed surfers. The boards were typically brightly colored and ornate to cover up the lower grade foams and fiberglass materials. The fins were often made of laminated mixed woods. Popouts accounted for only a very small market share and were typically sold through department and sporting goods stores outside of the mainstream circle of dedicated surf shops.
Popout boards were invented in 1959 by Robertson – Sweet Surfboards. A partnership between Hollywood actor, Cliff Robertson and Roger Sweet, the brother of foam surfboard manufacturing pioneer Dave Sweet.

A List of Popout Labels Include:

Acme, Bohemiam, Surfboards by Dale, Dextra, Diwain, Hawaiian Pipeline, Hawk, Healthways, Islander, Duke Kahanamoku, Keoki, Keyo, Lari Kai, Mako, Malibu, Newporter, Pacific Beach, Pacific Plastics, Phil, Plastic Mart, Robertson-Sweet, Royal Hawaiian, Sea-Jay Surfer, Seaking, Sealand, Seven Seas, Sportflight, Sportsways, Sting Ray, Surf City, Surf King, Surf Queen, Ten Toes, Tiki, Titan, Tyro, Vagabond, Velzy, and Ventura

Model Surfboards of the Mid to Late 1960s

Bing Surfboards

Donald Takayama Model
David Nuuhiwa Noserider
David Nuuhiwa Lightweight
Pipeliner
Pipeliner – Island Semi
Pipeliner – Gun

Challenger Surfboards

Semi Aggressor
Bump
Aggressor
Affectianado LTD
Santa Cruz
Caster

Con Surfboards

Wingnose
Multi Board
Baja
Competition
Ugly
Steve Biggler Classic
Claude Codgen – C.C. Rider
Claude Codgen – C.C. Leightweight

Dave Sweet Surfboards

Noserider
East Coast Agressor
Step Model
Hustler
Flexer
Speedster

Del Cannon Surfboards

Total Involvement
Versatile
Swift
Ego Builder

Dewey Weber Surfboards

Herold Iggy Model
Concave
Gun
Pre Performer
Performer
Herold Iggy 67 Model
Feather
Stylist
Professional

Gordie Surfboards

Mark V
Noserider
Lizard
Middleweight

Gordon & Smith Surfboards

Mike Hynson Redfin
Mike Hynson Redfin Gun
Nose Riding Model
Stretch
Midget Farrelly Stringerless
Skip Frye Model
HY I
HY II
Hot Curl

Greek Surfboards

Eliminator
Liquidator
East Coast Special
Maui Model
Maui Pintail
Outlaw
Newport Special
The Association
East Coast Eliminator

Hansen Surfboards

Mike Doyle
50/50
Powerflex
Master
Competitor
Superlite

Harbour Surfboards

Banana Model
Trestle Special
Cheater – Step Deck
Banana 67 Model

Hobie Surfboards

Phil Edwards
Nose Rider
Dick Brewer – Gun
Corky Carroll
Gary Propper
Multi Board
Joyce Hoffman Model

Holmsey Surfboards

Sidewinder
Kim Nielson Model

Jacobs Surfboards

Donald Takayama
Donald Takayama – Step Deck
422
Lance Carson
New Shape
Mike Purpus Model

Morey – Pope Surfboards

Snub
Peck Penetrator
Blue Machine
AAA Eliminator

Greg Noll Surfboards

Slot Bottom
Miki Dora – Da Cat
Duke Kahanamoku Nollrider
Duke Kahanamoku Hawaiian Nollrider
Duke Kahanamoku East Coast Nollrider
George Downing
George Downing Gun
Honolulu, Hawaii
Miki Dora – Da Cat – Fin Box
Stemwinder

O’Neill Surfboards

Danny Anderson Model
Intruder
Intruder II

Rick Surfboards

Noserider
Barry Kanaiaupuni
Dru Harrison Improvisor
UFO
D.B. Pintail

Surfboards Hawaii

Buzzy Trent Gun
Bonzai Board
Model A
Stylist I
Stylist II

Surfboards La Jolla

Superboard
Twin Pin
Vibration Model

Tanaka Surfboards

Ernie Tanaka Model
Featherweight

Velzy Surfboards

The Wedge
The Bump
Pig

Windansea

Cheroot
Panatella
Invincible
El Producto
Sandpiper
Tiparillo
Equalizer
VIP Model

Yater Surfboards

Pat Curren Gun
Full Gun Model
Spoon
Nose Specializer
North Shoreline

Major Manufacturers During the Longboard Era of the 1950s and 1960s Include:

ACME, A.J. Surfboards, Allen, Steve Angus, Aqua Jet, Atlantic, Atlas, Aussie, Austin – Baird, Australian Surf Shop, Awareness, Barland, Bahne, Baja, Banzai, Dick Barrymore, Bay Surfboards, Beachcomber, Bellaire, Bendiksen, Bennett, Bing, BJ Surfboards, Blaker, Blue Cheer, Bohemian, Brad, Bragg, Brandon, Brown, Buck, Bunger, Boards by Bunn, Joey Cabell, Campbell, Del Cannon, Carbonell, Caster, Catri Surfboards, Central, Challenger, Challenger Eastern, Channin, Channin – Diffenderfer, Chapman Surfboards, Collier, Con, Copeland Surfboards, Corbin, Country, Creative Design, Creative Surfboards, Crestwood, Crown, Cunningham, Pat Curren, Surfboards by Dale, Dana, Duke Dana, Dale, Daytona Beach Surf Shop, DeGroot & Mason, Deese, Chuck Dent, Design I, Dextra, Mike Diffenderfer, Diwain, George Doolittle,East Coast Surfboards, Carl Ekstrom, Larry Felker, Flaherty, Fred Surfboards, Fry, Fuhrmann, Bill Fury Surfboards, Galt, Gordie, Gordon & Smith, Greek, Tom Hale, Jack Haley, Hang 5, Hannon, Hansen, Harbour, Haut, Hawaiian Pipeline, Hawk, Hawley, Hayden, Healthways, Hickey, Hobie, Holden, Hollinger, Holmsey, Paul Hunt, Hydroplane, Ike, Inter-Island, Islander, Jacks, Jacobs, Jeffrey – Dale, Jensen, Duke Kahanamoku, Kelp, Keoki, Keyo, King, Laguna Beach, Lari Kai, Joe Larkin, Leedy, Liddle, Lightning, Lindsey, Lisardi, Lyman, Makaha, Mako, Malibu, Manatee, Marlin, Maryland, Matador, Maui Surfboards, Micris, Miller, Mitchell Brothers, Mobley, Monarch, Morey, Morey – Pope, Moselle, Moyer, Mickey Munoz, Native, Nelson – Ekstrom, Newporter, Norsk, Greg Noll, David Nuuhiwa, Oahu, Oceanside, Ole, Olson, Olympic, O’Neill, OP, Owl, Pacific Beach, Pacific Coast, Pacific Beach, Petrillo, Phil, Pismo Beach, Plastic Fantastic, Joe Quigg, Ramsey Jay, Redondo Surf Shop, Reef Surfboards, Dusty Rhodes, Rible, Johnny Rice, Rick, Roberts, Robertson – Sweet, Rogers, Ron Surfboards, Ron John Surf Shop, Royal Hawaiian, Russell, Safari, San Diego Surf Shop, San Juan, Schuck, Scofield, Sea Cross, Seaking, Shaw, Shool, Skag, Ski & Dive, Small & Neves, Soul, Southbay, Southcoast, South Shore, Sportflight, Sportsways, Stewart, Sting Ray, Surf Africa, Surfboard House, Surfboards Australia, Surfboards California, Surfboards East, Surfboards Hawaii, Surfboards La Jolla, Surfboards Miami, Surfboards San Clemente, Surfboards Seaside, Surfco – Swarts, Surf Jet, Swarts, Sweeney, Dave Sweet, Donald Takayama, Tamarack, Ernie Tanaka, Ten Toes, Thrailkill, Tiki, Tilton, Titan, Travis, Vagabond, Sonny Vardeman, Velzy, Ventura Surf Shop, Voo Doo, Wallace, Wardy, Wave Riding Vehicles, Dewey Weber, Wetzel, Bob White, White Owl, Wilderness, Wilken, Windansea, Winterburn, Gordon Woods, Yater, Yount

For loads more information on vintage longboard era surfboards from the 1940s through 1967 and beyond, including hundreds of photos, each with detailed descriptions and values, see the chapter Longboard Era: Wood and Fiberglass and Foam and Fiberglass in The Ultimate Guide To Vintage Surfboards & Collectibles.

RADIO RUMBLE!!!

martes, 14 de julio de 2015